File



y 27, 1948- v A. ANHEUSER 2,445,753

FILE

' ll l l l Alfrd Anheus 1" Patented July 27, 1948 tlNl'l'hl S'i'lhlSFILE Alfred Anheuser, West Allis, Wis, assignor to Ernest A. iinheuser,Milwaukee, Wis.

Application March 25, 1944, Serial No. 528,089

3 Claims. i

This invention relates to files and has as its purpose to provide a fileespecially adapted for use on odd shaped surfaces and in closelyconfined spaces.

The removal of metal from the intricate or deep channels and otherclosely confined areas of dies has always been a problem due to thestandardized non-fitting shapes of files. This problem is particularlyacute in the manufacture of hollow welded metal airplane propellers.

Metal airplane propellers are now being made by welding sections thereoftogether. These sections are joined end to end by flash welding. Flashwelding as is well understood by those skilled in the art leaves anobjectionable fiash on both sides of the article welded. in the case ofpropellers this means that flash is formed both on the inside and theoutside.

The removal of this flash from the external su faces, of course,presents no problem. Likev the removal of the inside flash from thosesurfaces which form the opposite faces of the pro peller is not toodifficult, but the removal of the inside flash from the edge portions ofthe propeller constitutes a serious problem.

As may be readily appreciated, the removal of this inside flash from theedge portions of the propeller entails operating in a very restrictedspace in the nature of adeep narrow channel.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a file havingits contour shaped to fit the desired contour of the article to befiled.

A further object of this invention is to provide a file which may beused with a tool especially adapted for manipulating a file inside ametal propeller.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction,combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafterdescribed, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, itbeing understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of thehereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of theclaims.

Th accompanying drawings illustrate several examples of the physicalembodiment of the ill-- vention constructed in accordance with the bestmodes so far devised for the practical application of the principlesthereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a complete tool consisting of a handleand file mounted in place;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a file blank provided with milledcurved teeth;

Figure3'is a-perspectiveview of the file blank m oi and illustrating themanner in which the back surface thereof is shaped preparatory to thefolding operation which .brings the file into its finished shape;

Figured is a detail sectional View taken through Figure 1 on the planeof'the lined-4;

Figure 5 is a plan View illustrating another manner of mounting thefile;

Figur 6 is a cross-sectional View taken through Figure 5 on the plane ofthe line 6-6;

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional View through the file blank after teethhave been cut in one face thereof and its opposite face has been groovedpreparatory to the folding or bending operation;

Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view through the file formed bybending'the blank shown in Figure 7 upon itself;

Figures 9 and 10 are views similar to Figures 7 and 8 illustrating, bycomparison with Figures 7 and 8, the way in which the depth of the V-shapcd groove in the back of the file blank determines the sharpness ofthe band or length of the radius of the curved edge of the file;

Figures 11 and 12 are views similar to Figures 7 and 8 illustrating themanner in which the sides of the file may be given a convex curvature;

Figures 13 and 14, and 15 and 16 are views similar to Figures '7 and 8and showing other cross-sectional shapes obtained by difierentformationsof the back surfaces of the file blanks;

Figure 17 is -a view showing the manner in which the files may be givenan arcuate formation;

Figure 18 is a perspective view of a finished file with the ends thereofshaped to adapt the same to a special holder;

Figure 19 is a plan View of the file shown in Figure 18 in its holder orhandle;

Figure 20 is anend view of the tool shown in Figure 19; and

Figure 21 is a longitudinal sectional View through a propeller bladeillustrating one manner of manipulating the file of this inventiontherein.

Before considering the specific disclosure here presented it is desiredto'point out that while the file of this invention is especially usefulfor removing the-fiashing from the inside edge portions of hollow weldedmetalairplane propellers, there are many other instances where a file ofspecial crosssectional shape is desirable. Hence, the apparent emphasison V-s'haped files which are especially adapted for use insidepropellers is .not to be taken as a limitation.

It is also desired topoint out that'in all cases the teeth of 'the .fileextend uninterruptedly around its edges. For the type of service forwhich the file of this invention is designed, teeth milled therein areperhaps most desirable, but not essential.

However, to achieve the purpose of the invention each file tooth musthave a continuous cutting edge extending uninterruptedly across theouter faces of the file and around the convex surface of the common edgeconnecting the two file faces. Not only does the file of this inventionmeet this requirement but it has the additional advantage of enablingits production by the simple and inexpensive method described andclaimed in the co-pending application of Alfred Anheuser, Serial No.752,615, filed June 5, 1947, which method comprises cutting the fileteeth into one face of a flat bar or blank, cutting a groove or grooveslongitudinally into the opposite or back face of the blank, and foldingthe blank to bring the sides of the groove or grooves intojuxtaposition. The cross-sectional shape of the groove or grooves in theback of the blank determines the cross-sectional shape of the finishedfile.

Referring now particularly to the drawings in which like numeralsindicate like parts through the several views, the numeral 5 designatesa flat bar or blank of steel or other suitable metal into one face ofwhich file teeth 6 are cut in any desired manner. In the embodiment ofthe invention illustrated, the teeth 6 are milled and curved. Themilling of the file teeth forms no part of this invention, but inasmuchas it is desirable that the cutting edges of all of the teeth lie in acommon plane, it is preferable that the teeth be cut in the mannerdescribed in the patent to Alfred Anheuser, No. 2,343,271, dated March7, 1944, the application for which was copending with this application.

The blank for the file of this invention has a shallow V-shaped groove 1milled or otherwise formed therein extending longitudinally down thecenter of the bar or blank with its apex 8 substantially on the centerline of the blank and defining the thinnest portion of the bar or blank.

The sides of the V-shaped groove may be flat as shown so that the twoedges of the bar are substantially wedgelike in cross-section, or forspecial shapes the sides of the groove may have a convex curvature asshown in Figure 11 or two or more grooves may be formed in the back ofthe blank as shown in Figures 13 to 16.

The bar or blank prepared in the manner described folded or bentlongitudinally upon itself along the apex or bottom 8 of the groove orgrooves to bring the sides of the groove or grooves into juxtaposition,as shown in Figures 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16.

The angle and shape defined by the sides of the inside walls of thepropeller or other channel in which the file is to be used determineswhether the half-sections of the bar or blank are folded entirely uponthemselves, that is, into engagement or whether they are left spacedapart as shown in Figures 6 and 18 and also whether the half-sectionswhere only one groove is used, are to have straight or transverselycurved sides.

Where the sides of the V-shaped groove have a, convex curvature as shownin Figure 11, folding the half-sections on each other into contact, asshown in Figure 12, with all portions of the back faces engaging givesthe outer toothed surfaces or sides of the finished file a convexcurvature depending upon the contour of the groove cut into the back ofthe blank.

In all cases the thickness of the stock between the bottom 8 of thegroove and the bottom of the gullets of the file teeth determines thesharpness of the bend formed by folding the half-sections on each other.Obviously, the thinner this stock the sharper the bend. This is clearlyillustrated by a comparison of Figures 8 and 10.

The teeth extend continuously from the free edge of one half or sectionof the file across the surface thereof, around the rounded edge, andacross the surface of the other half-section to the free edge thereof.In fact if desired the bent up or folded file blank may be given a bowedor arcuate shape as shown in Figure 17.

As will be readily apparent many different ways may be devised forholding and manipulating the file of this invention. In Figure 1 ahandle 8 having downwardly projecting portions I0 and II spacedsubstantially the length of the file is arranged to clamp the fileendwise. The ends of the file and the surfaces of the clamping membersIll and I I have complementary V-shaped formations, shown in Figure 4,to preclude lateral shifting of the file in the handle and. one of themembers It], I I has sufficient resiliency to permit its being drawntight against the file by means of a clamping bolt I2.

Another manner of mounting the file is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6.In this case a bladelike handle I3 is received between the sides of thefile which are welded thereto.

The file shown in Figure 18 has its ends I4 cut at a transverse andcrosswise angle. Thus, when this file is clamped to the head of itshandle, it is secured not only against lateral displacement, but alsoagainst outward displacement. The head I5, as clearly shown in Figure19, has a fixed jaw I6 engaging one end of the file and a movableclamping jaw l1 engaging the other end of the file, screws I8 beingprovided for tightening the clamping jaw.

While handles of the type shown in Figures 1, 5 and 19 are satisfactoryfor most uses the tool specifically shown in Figure 21 facilitates themanipulation of the file in such cramped quarters as the inside of apropeller. This tool comprises a supporting rod I9 reciprocably mountinga crosshead 20 on which the file is secured. The inner end of thissupporting rod has an expansible support 2| provided with pads 22adapted to frictionally engage the opposite inner edges of the propeller23. A wire or rod 24 extends from this expansible support to the outerend of the sup porting rod to provide means for expanding the support,the rod or wire 24 being held in its operative position by clamping acollar 25 to the supporting rod.

The outer end of the supporting rod has a handle 26 and the crosshead 20has a handle 21 attached thereto. Hence, by manipulation of the handle21 the crosshead 20 is reciprocated along the supporting rod I9 toeffect the cutting action facilitated by pressure applied on the handl26.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art thatthis invention provides a file well adapted for use in close quartersand particularly in narrow and deep channels such as the inside edges ofhollow metal propellers.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A file comprising: a pair of bar-like sections arranged back to backby folding a flat bar on its longitudinal center line with the exteriorof the fold rounded on a small radius, the thickness of said sectionsvarying from a minimum at said fold to a maximum at the opposite freeedges of the two sections; and file teeth on the outer faces of saidsections extending continuously from the free edge of one section,transversely across the same, around the small radius fold andtransversely across the other section to its free edge.

2. A fil comprising: a pair of bar-like sections arranged back to backby folding a fiat bar on its longitudinal center linewith the exteriorof the fold rounded on a small radius, said sections being reduced inthickness at least adjacent to said fold; and file teeth on the outerfaces of said sections extending transversely thereacross andcontinuously around the small radius fold.

3. A file made from a single blank of file stock, comprising: a pair offile elements arranged in back to back relationship lengthwise of thefile, said elements having a common longitudinal edge, and said edghaving a convex surface of relatively small radius joininguninterruptedly with the exterior surfaces of the file elements, one ofsaid elements being increasingly thicker inwardly of said common edge;and file teeth on the outer faces of said file elements and the convexsurface of said common edge, each of said file teeth having a continuouscutting edge extending uninterruptedly across the outer faces of both ofthe file elements and the convex surface of said common edge.

ALFRED ANHE'USER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 43,775 Jacobs Aug. 9, 1864228,975 Borland June 22, 1880 10 265,975 Nicholson Oct. 17, 1882 358,026Emerson Feb. 22, 1887 1,066,340 Thomas July 1, 1913 1,147,204 AnheuserJuly 20, 1915 1,645,895 Coenen Oct. 18, 1927 15 1,727,690 Anheuser Sept.10, 1929 2,143,063 Fetterolf Jan. 10, 1939 2,186,997 Stark Jan. 16, 19402,255,269 Perrine Sept. 9, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 20 Number Country Date2,847 Great Britain Feb. 3, 1912 19,849 Great Britain Sept. 6, 190626,410 Switzerland July 11, 1902 113,414 Germany Sept. 21, 1900 25452,665 Great Britain Aug. 27, 1936

